Hillsboro recorder., 1887-11-10
ARTIFICIAL LIMBS.
Some Points and Incidents Re-
garding the Trade in Them.
How Crippled Veterans OF the
War are Supplied.

~ wouldn't exactly say" remarked
New York manufacturer to a Sun re-
porter, ''that people can get along as
wellwith artificial limbs as they can with
artificial teeth, but the art OF industry is
fast approaching that stage of perfection.
Men and women can eat and drink, play
the violin, write, and do various kinds
of light work with artificial arms and
hands, and they can dance, skate, and
run with artificial legs.
"The proportion of those whose mis-
fortunes require the use of artificial limbs
is about one in $4,000 of the population.
OF these, from twenty-five to thirty per
cent. are women. OF the limbs lost, the
legs are in the large majority-about
seventy-fve per cent.
"a great many are under the ITnpres-
sion that the war made most of the Grip
Piles now living. The fact is that for
one person who lost limb in the war,
twenty totwenty-four lost theirs through
some accident on the railways, or in
some other manner entire y disconnected
from warfare. The railroad l. the great
source of our business, probably one
half the cases that come to us being at
tributed to railway accidents"
II suppose" said the reporter, :"that
you meet with some queer incidents in
the course of your businessp
''Yes, remember customer coming
to me not long ago for his second arti-
fetal leg. He had worn the first for
number of years. He said that he was
in much trouble of mind. He was going
to get married, and had been courting
his intended for year and a half, and
she did not know but that he was en-
tirely sound. The question in his mind
was whether to tell her before, or wait
until after marriage. / Iadvised him to
inform her beforehand, as otherwise she
might have legal ground to apply for an
annulment of the marriage on the ground
of deception. He told me afterward
that he followed my advice, and the lady
concluded that she loved him none the
less on account of his misfortune.
Another singular incident, but of diff
ferent character, was in connection with
the collision of two steamers, one of
which had just started from this port
for Europe, and had to put back again
on account of the damage. None of the
passengers were injured by the accident,
and friend jokingly remarked in my
presence that I would, no doubt, be
greatly disappointed that there was no
loss of limb, as / would therefore get no
revenue from the occurrence. Strangely
enough, the day following, man from
Ohio walked into my Office and said that
he wanted an artificial leg. lie related
that he had been a passenger on the
steamer which had to put back on ac-
count Of the collision, having started
from his home in Ohio to pay a visit to
Europe. When the vessel returned to
port he concluded, on reflection, to give
up his European trip and to expend the
money he had reserved on the trip in
providing himself with a new artificial
leg in place Of the one which he then
wore. So it seems that the collision oi
chose two steamers brought business
after all.
'Who supply limbs for the soldiersi''
"The business is distributed among
different manufacturers, nearly, il not
all in the large cities Of the Atlantic
coast. No Union soldier who has lost q
limb in the war need be without an ar.
tifeial one. Northern manufacturer
also supply a good many artificial limb.
to confederate veterans, on the orders oi
States Of the South, that have made pro.
vision for the MANNED Of the Lost Cause,
but great many Of the Southern veter
ans are unprovided, for the reasons that
the appropriations for their relief are moi
sufficiently frequent aud adequate"
''of private cases, dothe greater num-
Der come from the city or countryl'
II think The dangers Of city and
country life are about even, so far as thu
artificial limb trade is an indicator. Tn,
moving machine is a fair set-oif 10 tho
horse cars"
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